Yasmin Ali

Jude Barber and Nick Walker of Collective Architecture presented a selection of their firm's inputs into the Seven Lochs Wetland Park masterplan, at this year's Doors Open Day in Glasgow. The talk was presented in-situ at The Bridge, in Easterhouse, followed by a guided walk to the centre of the park led by members of Glasgow Clyde Valley Green Network.

The talk was illustrated by maps and visuals for proposals for a vision for The Seven Lochs Wetland Park, and talked through some of the key concepts and driving factors behind the masterplan for what will be the largest urban nature park in Scotland, at over 19sqkm, almost five times the size of Strathclyde Country Park.

The Wetlands have potential to be a major recreational and amenity resource for existing and proposed communities, with over 4500 housing units proposed across its area in designated Community Growth Areas (CGA's). What is key to the success of the project is the adoption of its principles by private housing developers, for which the CGA's set out clear design principles for exemplary projects, as well as collecting revenues for maintenance and infrastructure, for example, via mechanisms like planning gain. The architects spoke of the opportunity to fulfil environmental criteria in more imaginative ways than the current tickbox approach taken by many. For example, they mention that SuDS run-off areas tend to be fenced off and left to the vestiges of a development, when they have the potential to be a central shared amenity space, like a water feature or pond which the residents can collectively enjoy, maintain and take pride in.

The Wetlands Park spans two local authority areas - Glasgow City Council and North Lanarkshire Council - and it was noted that the two have worked very well in sharing the vision and approach, no doubt helped by the overarching steer from Glasgow and Clyde Valley Strategic Development Planning Authority. Collective Architects, together with a multidisciplinary team of ecologists, hydrologists and GIS Specialists, and Cost Consultants, have compiled a wealth of knowledge drawing on a number of local authority planning guidances and site visits, to generate the masterplan and visioning document, which can be read here.

The walk after the hour's session took a group locals and interested professionals to Bishop's Loch, around the centre of the park, and talked in general about the history and ecology of the park and its current maintenance activities led by community woodland groups.